“No, but you are the one who set her up to die to begin with.”
Guilt ramsinto my anger, and the twoemotionsbattle it out insideofme.Theneed to moveconsumes me.Theneed to fight through the painthat’smaking it hard to breathe.
Slowly, I benddown and pick up the knife.
Jace smiles.“When you were passed out, by the way,” hesays, rolling his shoulders, “I convinced Arienna to feed you your own cum.A necromancer’s trick, I told her.”
My eyes narrow.I toss the blade intothe air andcatchit again.
“She loved you enough to try anything.”
Growling, I charge.
The knife slicesthrough the air.He jumpsbackas he smacksmy arm across my body.Grabbing my wrist, he twistsit backwards.My shoulder pops.The blade drops.Kicking it away, he spinsus around and throwsme against the wall.
I crumble to the ground, dust raining down on top of me.
“I thought you said you were going to let me beat it out of my system,” Isayaccusingly as I rise to my feet.Using the wall, I pop my shoulder back into place.
Grinning, he shrugs.“Yeah, but this is more fun.Also, I absolutely hate what you’ve done with the place.I’ve been wanting to redecoratein herefor ages.”
Shaking my head, Igoin cautiously this time.
With each swing of my fist, Ithinkabout what Ariennadidto me.With each blow Itake, Ithinkabout what Ididto her.I’vebeen so worried about the Court destroying what makesher her, but in the end, Ididit.I made her feel like she had to make the choice between me and her.
Iamto blame as much as sheis.
More soeven.
As we fall to the ground, with Jace on top of me, I throw a fist into his face.His elbow knocksmyjaw, snapping my head sidewaysandfilling me with a pain I deserve.
Fuck.
Jace saidthatshe’dleft here crying.That she refused to leave me until he told her it’dbe better for me, easier for me if she wasn’t here when I woke.
Raising my arm, I slam my elbow into the base of Jace’s neck.Shoving him off me,I leavehim wheezing in painas I rise to my feet.My heart a damn knot in my chest, Ihead for the door.“Thanks for the talk,”I growl,“but I’m going to see my fucking wife.”
Forty-Nine
A good brownie always says sorry.
But what do you dowhen‘sorry’ isn’t enough?-Arienna
At the opening of my door, I shoot out of bed, my heart in my throat.Hope and fear mixestogether.He’scomefor me.Everyoneelse knocks.
Stumbling over my feet, I skid into the sitting room.My eyes latch on to his face.My bloodrunscold.And despite murderbeing what gotme into this mess in the first place, I want to try again.
Because someonehashurt him.
Someone hasbruised his cheeks and cut open his lips.
Someoneisgoing to die.
“Who did this to you?”I ask, my chest heaving, my fists clenching.
Given I’malready going to Niflhel for hurting the man I love, I might as well throw in a few more murders.Can’texactly go to hel twice.“Was it someone from the Court?”I demand.
He smiles.“No.”
